Replacement queens rule the marquee

Call it a feminine famine. But filmdom is so starved of A-lister heroines that the same set of heroines is playing musical chairs with the big-budgeted movies. Here’s looking at some recent heroine-swaps that shook filmdom lately

1. Asin – Shruti Haasan In Welcome Back: When Sonakshi Sinha’s dates didn’t work out Anees Bazmi negotiated with Asin with whom he shared a ‘Ready’ relationship. But Asin’s father demanded a fee that sent Anees and producer Feroz Nadidawala staggering out of the door, right into the reasonable Shruti Haasan’s ilaaka.

2. Kareena Kapoor—Deepika Padukone: Kareena was all but finalized for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela. But then she got cold feet about the huge number of days required and after much dillydallying said no. That left the coast for Deepika. Now we know why Deepika loves the Kapoors.

3. Kangana—Huma Qureshi: Kangana was penciled in to play a very important role as Madhuri’s best friend in Abhishek Choubey’s Dedh Ishqiya. But then Kangna, probably insecure about a film that already stars Ms Dixit, opted out saying she had to give dates to Tigmanshu Dhulia for Revolver Rani. We believe. Kangna’s loss is Huma’s gain.

4. Jacqueline Fernandes—Bipasha Basu: The director was in love with the heroine. Out went love and so did Jacqueline’s presence in Sajid Khan’s Humshakals. Bipasha, hungry for opportunity, grabbed with both hands.

5. Chitrangda—Kangana: Na na....: You wish she hadn’t opted out. At least it would have been a break from her image of Sudhir Mishra’s heroine...BIG break. She had even begun preparation to play the mutant in Krissh 3 when news came that Chitrangda had been replaced by Kangna. Chitrangda says she had other commitments. We are still wondering which commitments.

6. Priyanka Chopra—Shraddha Kapoor: Shraddha who has lately found boxoffice favour with Aashiqui 2 may seem a long way off from Priyanka Chopra. But when Tigmanshu Dhulia decided to change the hero of his proposed film Milan Talkies from Imran Khan to Shahid Kapoor he also decided to do away with Priyanka. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

7. Rani Mukherjee—Priyanka Chopra: Rani was to play Mary Kom. She demanded some changes in the script. Director Omang Kumar preferred to change the heroine.